<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"&lt;img alt=\"0425_michael_jackson_mask\" src=\"http://ll-media.tmz.com/2012/04/25/0425-michael-jackson-mask-1.jpg\" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A black surgical mask that &lt;strong&gt;Michael Jackson&lt;/strong&gt; allegedly wore the night before he died in 2009 has hit the auction block -- and the bids have already surpassed $20,000.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;According to the auction house -- Nate D. Sanders Auctions -- MJ wore the mask (&lt;em&gt;above&lt;/em&gt;) while rehearsing for his \"This Is It\" concert tour on June 24th, 2009 ... the singer's last ever rehearsal.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The auction house claims the mask&amp;#160; -- made of silk fabric, personally designed by the King of Pop -- contains visible traces of MJ's stage make-up along with a strand of his black hair.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of MJ's former bodyguards was in possession of the mask, and swears by its authenticity. MJ famously wore surgical masks outdoors as a form of disguise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img alt=\"0425_michael_jackson_kids2\" src=\"http://ll-media.tmz.com/2012/04/25/0425-michael-jackson-kids2-1.jpg\" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The auction ends April 30th -- and bidding has already reached $21,190. The auction house estimates the mask will sell for $50,000-$150,000.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;!-- relatedlinks --&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.tmz.com/2012/04/26/michael-jackson-black-surgical-mask-auction/12/>